Dragon's Treasure
by Annamonk
Summary: A bit of Valentine fluff inspired by a mood board Trinkisme posted on Tumblr. I hope you enjoy it. It's not my sand box, just another castle.
1. Chapter 1

Narcissa Malfoy knew her son was a tiny bit spoiled. She also knew that one day great responsibility would fall on his shoulders. Being heir to House Malfoy limited his choices. Lucius kept her father in law, Abraxas at bay, but there was no way to avoid the path the man had forged for them all.

Lucius had told her to take Draco out for the day. Abraxas was entertaining. She wrapped her son in a proper set of dress robes and took his favorite play hat. Why he loved the overly large thing was beyond her imaginings, but he did look adorable when it fell over his eyes.

"We are going to visit Aunt Walbuga, my dragonet." Narcissa took her son's hand. "Remember to be polite and ask before you touch anything. Aunt Walburga does not appreciate having her things disturbed."

"Aunt Wally wants it all." Draco frowned. "Her biscuits aren't good, and she is always in a strop."

"We do not talk about family in that manner." Narcissa hid her smile and shook her head at her precocious son. "Aunt Walburga is very lonely."

Draco nodded his head solemnly and held out his hand for hers. Narcissa smiled openly and squeezed his little fingers slightly to encourage his good behavior. She closed her eyes took a deep breath and let her magic whirl them to her Aunt's home.

* * *

Draco was bored. He didn't like the way this house made him feel. It was like there was bath oil in the air, slick and sliding on his skin. The whole place smelled dirty. He missed the lemony smell of his rooms at home.

His mother was listening to Aunt Wally, and nodding. She was nibbling on a tea cake. It looked dry, and no better than his food. He didn't want the biscuits or the tea. They would hurt his tummy.

He bounced on his seat and frowned as something in the chair creaked.

"Are you bored, little boy?" Aunt Wally eyed him with a frown, but she always frowned.

He shrugged and looked down at his knees.

"He isn't used to sitting for this long." His mother sighed.

"I too had sons. I know how trying they can be, dear flower." Aunty Wally patted his mother's knee. "I know just the thing. Orion brought me the silliest gift when we were first courting. It's a set of rubies enchanted to bring you to your soul mate of all things."

"Rubies?" His mother tilted her head and Aunt Wally chuckled.

"He meant well. Never could tell the difference between red and green." Aunt Wally flicked her wrist and a velvet covered box came flying into the room. "Perhaps, Draco will enjoy playing with them. I never even removed them from the box."

Draco frowned down at the jewelry. It sparkled, but he didn't want to wear it. It looked like the things his mother wore. He looked up at her.

"Why don't you pretend to be an actual dragon?" His mother raised one blonde brow. "It can be your treasure."

Draco nodded and grabbed the necklace by its largest stone. The ruby pulsed in his hand and he felt the familiar tug behind his navel. He grabbed his hat, so it wouldn't fall off.

* * *

Hermione was not enjoying her family gathering. Her mother had forced her into a white dress and worked for a long time to fix her hair, but none of her cousins wanted to read or to play with her. They never did.

She plopped down on a bench and frowned as her older cousins complained about having to miss the Valentine's dance for Mama Jean's birthday.

"It's not like she knows we're here." Louise frowned and looked into the noisy room. "She doesn't know what year it is. Thinks the Great War is still going strong and the Unicorn Brigade has bloody fallen. She doesn't have two wits left to rub together, Becca."

"I wanted to go to the dance, too." Rebecca tossed her long brown hair over her shoulder. "It's not like she's turning a hundred or something."

Hermione resisted the urge to talk with the older girls. They were unpredictable. Sometimes, they treated her like a doll, but, more often, they were cruel. She watched them step back into the room with their family and sighed in relief. She picked up the small bouquet she was supposed to give to Mama Jean. The roses were white and boring just like her dress. A sudden popping sound frightened her and she grabbed the stems of the flowers above the protective ribbons. She felt the thorn cut her hand and dropped the flowers altogether.

"I didn't mean to scare you." The blond boy smiled as he stuffed something into his pocket. "My dragon treasure brought me here."

Hermione blinked and nodded. The boy was about her age and he had a silly hat. She smiled at him without thinking.

"You have dragon treasure?" Hermione scooted to the side, so he could join her on the bench. "May I see it?"

"Not if you're going to bleed on it." The boy shook his head and his hat fell off his head.

Hermione looked at her hand and saw the welling blood.

"My mum will not be happy." She sighed. "I don't even like the white flowers, and I'm going to be in trouble."

"I don't like white either." The blond boy smiled. "It's boring."

He touched her dress and a wave of warmth washed over her leaving her dress a bright sparkly red.

"You look pretty in red." He smiled at her and fished out a necklace with several large rubies. "I think you can touch my treasure, even if you bleed on it. I'm a dragon. Dragons like blood."

Hermione blushed and touched the stone with her hurt finger. She felt something flare inside her body. It felt like it did when she moved things without touching them. The boy handed the pretty necklace to her and poked at her flowers.

"Why do you have flowers?" He stroked the green ribbon with his finger tip.

"They're for my Mama Jean. It's her birthday day and Valentine's, so she gets presents and flowers." Hermione smiled at him. "Your treasure is beautiful."

"My mother will not be happy about this." He fussed with his dark jacket.

Hermione pulled one of the roses out of the bouquet and concentrated on it. It turned a bright red. The others would up tipped in red, but it was perfect.

"Give her this." Hermione handed the rose to him. "My mother always likes flowers."

"So does mine." He took the flower with a smile. "She likes roses, too, but we don't have any this color. Thank you."

The boy leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers in a quick kiss. Hermione blinked as he pulled away. His eyes seemed to glow. She felt a tingle on her upper arm and looked down to see a twisting, silver dragon settle on her skin.

"I think you're my treasure now." He touched the mark.

"Will it wash off?" Hermione chewed her lower lip.

"I don't know." The boy swung his legs. "I don't want it to."

"I don't either. You should put this in your pocket." She held the necklace out to him. "My mum is going to be looking for me soon, and she won't understand about the treasure."

Hermione leaned forward and pecked his lips with her own as she handed the pretty necklace back to him. He held it in his left hand and reached up towards his upper arm with his right. Hermione giggled.

She looked up in time to see him twist away into the air. She reached out and felt for him, but he was gone. She saw his hat and grabbed it. The felt of the hat was warm against her fingers. She crushed it against her chest.

Her dragon was out there somewhere. He would find her someday. She knew it.

* * *

Walburga slipped on her gloves and hummed as she settled the necklace into its box. Orion's gift mocked her with its shining glory. She'd wanted to wear it, but it wouldn't have taken her to her intended.

She had known her soul mate and felt the pain of his rejection for far too long. Abraxas Malfoy craved power more than love. He'd chosen a witch that suited his quest, and courted her to make the other witch jealous. He'd mocked her offer of love and married another.

Orion had been a good husband. He'd loved her. His sensitive soul had been at odds with the family traditions, but she'd held to them. It had been a good match. He'd given her a place in the world and something more precious than gold.

Revenge.

She looked over at Narcissa's son. The boy looked far too much like Abraxas, but he had the Black eyes. Orion's has been the same quicksilver color. Her own were darker. The boy made her heart ache for what might have been and for what had been. She could see what her own children would have looked like when she looked at him from afar, but when he smiled up at her, her husband was there. The warmth of his love had helped heal her.

She supposed using a child for revenge was petty, but the boy had already bound himself to his soul mate. The delicate silver tracery marking his upper arm made that quite clear. Abraxas wouldn't be able to use the boy in his machinations. True love would flourish in the Malfoy line.

"Thank you, Orion." She closed the box and set it aside. "This truly was an inspired gift."

* * *

 _ **Author's Note**_

 _Happy Valentine's Day!_

 _Only Walburga would think to use love as revenge. There is more of course. I like happy endings. If you want the full story, let me know._

 _-Anna_


	2. Chapter 2

Narcissa watched the girl from a distance. She glared down at the rose in her hand. It was a perfect bit of magic. There was strong magic in the muggle born witchling. No one would be able to deny that fact. Lucius and his father would be revolted. Their perfect bloodline was all important. A muggle born Malfoy wasn't a possibility.

What was she supposed to do?

Draco had found his soul mate. They were already bound. How was she supposed to keep them safe?

Abraxas would kill Draco if he discovered that his grandson was bound to one of lesser blood. It wouldn't even bother him. He'd considered killing Draco when he'd had a cold at three years old. This was worse than a cold. Lucius might kill them both and find a new wife to mother the Malfoy heir.

She clenched her fist against her thigh and considered her options. She couldn't turn to Lucius. Aunt Walburga might be willing to help since this mess was her fault. The Black matriarch would at least make it quick and painless if she decided to cull them from the family tree.

Abraxas would probably flay them alive for potion ingredients.

Walburga was their only chance.

* * *

"This is impressive magic." Walburga stroked the stem of the rose and smiled. Tendrils of power flowed out from the flower and wrapped around her hand. "Draco's match is a powerful little thing."

"She's muggle born." Narcissa looked down at the dark patterned Aubusson at her feet. "Lucius and Abraxas will kill us all."

"They might try." Walburga smirked. "But I will go on my own terms. Those boys are no match for me."

She touched the chain around her neck and felt the comforting vial of poison she'd brewed after her life had fallen apart. It wouldn't be an easy death, but she'd take Abraxas with her. She looked at her niece and sighed. Perhaps living well could be the best revenge for a bit longer.

"Draco deserves better." Narcissa was working herself into a tizzy. The poor girl was actually showing emotion.

"Better than a soul mate or better than a painful death?" Walburga watched the blonde beauty before her closely. "There is a way forward, but you will have to muster a certain flexibility to take it."

"If I need to do dark magic, I will." Narcissa flicked a piece of imaginary lint from her sleeve. "I was well schooled by my father."

"And that is the problem." Walburga snorted. "Cygnus is a bloody fool. He doesn't know how to bend. He sold your sister off to that half blood fool without a thought. Look what that did for the family.

Cygnus was raised to believe in magic, to respect it, but he was taken in by a charlatan. Oh, the boy is strong and he was lovely once upon a time, but there is something absent in his core.

Don't look so surprised, Flower. We attended Hogwarts with that monster. Riddle waved his power about and nearly ruined a generation of Slytherin wizards."

"You said father sold Bella to him, but Bella married Rodolphus." Narcissa blinked. "Father said they were willing to pay a decent bride price despite Andromeda's shame."

"Rodolphus is sterile. For that matter, so is the younger one. That family has run its course." Walburga rolled her eyes. "With all the seeds in their line, one would think they might have avoided it. I suppose there is no cure for stupidity."

Narcissa took a deep breath and managed to stifle the myriad questions she wanted to ask. Walburga assessed her carefully. Regulus was gone, Sirius was lost to Azkaban, but Narcissa offered their House a way forward.

Walburga measured the girl and her desperation. Witches had to work doubly hard in their society. Narcissa has learned the art of subterfuge well. She appeared to be nothing more than a decorative accoutrement in Lucius Malfoy's perfectly planned life, but there was fire and strength in her.

"It's time to test your mettle, Narcissa." Walburga patted her hand. "There's a good chance your little dragon has found our family's next matriarch. If we do this right, she will lead our family as Draco will lead the House Malfoy."

"She's muggleborn." Narcissa shook her head. "You can't make a crup's tail into a wand."

"If you know the right spell, you can." Walburga chuckled. "It's time you rise above the idiocy of your father. Toujours pur has nothing to do with blood and everything to do with magic."

"But purebloods..." Narcissa followed Walburga to the tapestry.

"Let the fools marry their cousins until they are all squibs or simply incapable of producing another generation." Walburga chuckled. "We Blacks stay true to pure magic."

"What?" Narcissa blinked up at the family tapestry as they stopped before the family tapestry. Walburga waved her hand and the cloth expanded.

"The whole thing is rather overwhelming. I keep track of the active lines of course." Walburga smirked and flicked her wand at the fabric. A few names began to glow purple, Hermione's among them. "They aren't muggle born. They're new bloods. Gifted magic by the very gods to whom we pay lip service."

"I'll find a line that's all but dead and hide her in plain sight. It was easier before the government banned the old practice of adopting muggle born children. We will have to involve the girl's parents." Walburga tapped her chin. "Andromeda has produced a child. Perhaps it is time to welcome her back into the family. Her ease with muggles will make this all much simpler."

"Andromeda?" Narcissa licked her lips and looked at the damaged cloth where her sister's image used to be. "My father repudiated her."

"Your father is not the Patriarch." Walburga waved her hand over the damaged image and it the fabric repaired itself stitch by stitch. "We will need to cultivate some powerful friends for Draco's young witch. Perhaps, we could insist on raising Potter. He is related through Dorea. The Longbottom heir may be a squib. Augusta will want to quash those rumors. Perhaps, the Bones girl or the Xeno's daughter. The Flints have a son that's a bit older. I'll need to look into it. This would be easier if both my sons hadn't fallen into Riddle's trap."

"Sirius wasn't..." Narcissa stumbled trying to find the words. "He didn't. Abraxas still laughs about it."

Walburga turned to Narcissa with her eyes burning with silver fire.

"My son is in Azkaban for nothing?"

* * *

Sirius watched as the young children tromped through the garden at Black Manor and pinched himself. His mother had dragged him back into the world from the hell of Azkaban. It hadn't been Dumbledore or any of his friends. His mother had all but burned down the Wizengamot to save him.

She'd pulled Harry out of a hell of his own and stared down Dumbledore with a sneer when he'd objected.

Walburga Black.

"Mind if I join you?" Andromeda flopped down on the blanket and leaned back against the pillows without waiting for an answer. "I still can't get over it. It's been three years, but being here to welcome spring still feels like a dream."

"I keep expecting to wake up in my cell." Sirius ran a hand through his hair. "If my mother hadn't been the one to save me, I'd know it was a fantasy."

"My father hexed you. You didn't see the family clearly. He was trying to prepare you for Riddle." Andromeda patted his hand. "Aunt Wally seems to enjoy keeping him at the end of her string."

"Reclaiming his Black vault and giving it to you was a stroke of genius." Sirius grinned. "Your mother seems to enjoy the power of the purse strings."

"I think she enjoyed giving his mistress her congé." Andromeda giggled.

Sirius rolled his eyes and watched as Hermione tackled Harry to the ground and tickled him. Neville Longbottom collapsed on top of the pair and they all squirmed about like puppies. Nymphadora rolled her eyes and pulled the group apart, her hair flashing from pink to blue and back.

"Where is Narcissa?" Sirius glanced out the side of his eyes at Andromeda.

"There's a function at Malfoy Manor tonight." His cousin shrugged. "She's going to send Draco over later, but she can't get away."

"Dumbledore wants to see me. I keep getting owls." Sirius glances over Harry. "He left Harry in hell with Petunia and that daft prick she married. I can't imagine ever trusting him again."

"He left you in hell, too." Andromeda grabbed his hand. "I never thought I'd say this, but talk to your mother. She knows more about what's beneath the surface than anyone."

Sirius nodded and went back to watching his godson play in the sunshine with his friends. Some things were too sweet to miss.

* * *

Hermione watched the bonfire and curled up next to Draco. He was unusually quiet. He hadn't wanted to sneak off flying or play games.

"What's wrong?" She traces a rune on his skin and smiled as he relaxed a bit.

"My mum has to be so careful." Draco gestured to the others gathered around the fire. "I worry about her. I don't like leaving her there alone."

Hermione laced her fingers through his and looked up at the stars. It seemed silly to wish on them, but what else could she do?

"I wish I could protect her." Hermione looked up at the sky and imagined a daffodil constellation riding high above them in the deepest of the night sky.

* * *

Narcissa felt something warm slide along her wrist and glanced down to see a new bracelet with a strange constellation of stones picked out in champagne colored diamonds.

"You were day born, Darling." Her mother sighed. "There is no star in the sky for you. Having a traditional Black naming bracelet made doesn't make you like the others."

"I am a Black, Mother." Narcissa stepped closer to her mother. "It's my relationship with Aunt Walburga that has stopped her from taking out her suffering on Father. You don't have any power here. This is my home. Remember it, or lose your own."


End file.
